This figure has reduced by 8% in the last 12 months with only 78,650 businesses added and 83,195 businesses removed from the UK business register. According to new research from Scottish Widows, this downward trend could be linked to a lack of business protection, with nearly a quarter (23%) of UK SMEs unable to continue trading for long in the absence of a key person within their business. Despite this, awareness and uptake of business protection remain low, with 45% of SME owners saying they have never sought advice about business protection. Paula Steele: The pitfalls of business protectionCatherine Trimble, head of intermediary distribution, protection at Scottish Widows, said: “The need for business protection is rarely raised directly with clients. In response to this report, Protection Distributors Group’s (PDG) Roy McLoughlin added: “What sets this report apart is its practical value.